Many people have heard of Park City Utah and have even visited experiencing the entertainment, food, and beauty it has. What many people don’t realize that this place that offers so much has a great history attached to it that made it what it is today.
Precious metals were what really sparked interest around Salt Lake City. Mormons has already settled the area but Colonel Patrick E. Connor instigated the search for these precious metals in the early 1860’s. One of his motivations for doing so was to encourage the coming of non-Mormons into the Utah Territory.
Within ten years, large veins of silver ore were found and the Ontario Mine became one of the greatest silver mines in the world, and it only grew from this point.
George Snyder was the one who coined the name Park City after arriving with his family in May 1972. He loved the area and its green grasses and wildflowers. “Park City, for it is a veritable park” are his famous words spoken.
By 1884, the city was incorporated. Silver proved to be abundant and dozens of mines opened up in Park City. They did so well even the national financial panic of 1893 had little impact on this area.
Before 1900, Park City’s population increased by forty percent. Hundreds began to gather to this beautiful area with a booming economy. With this mass of people came diverse religious and ethnic groups and traditions. You began to see schools, houses, telephone services and its own fire company.
Having that fire company would come in handy in the near future for Park city. The worst fire in Utah history happened in June 1898 in Park City. Strong winds from the canyon took a small morning fire and put the wood built town in flames.
Devastated, the town built their city back up again using wood and started over.
Mining was still going strong, but began to create social groups among Park City residents. Mine owners became very wealthy at the cost of hundreds of labor workers. The railroad grew and brought many Chinese workers who would experience discrimination and bigotry.
Mining did not slow down, and would account for seventy-eight percent of Utah State’s total exports in 1882. Larger mines began buying out smaller mines. In 1925 the Park Consolidated Mining Company formed by merging Park City Mining and Smelting Company with the Park Utah and the Ontario Silver Mining Company. In 1928 this new company discovered a huge body of ore and became the largest single silver producer in the United States by 1928.
World War I would hurt the mining industry in for the town. Serious labor unrest occurred and those still working went on strike. The Great Depression would further hurt this once thriving city of silver.
World War II, despite the demand of metal, mines experienced further suffering. By the 1950’s fewer than two-hundred men worked in the mines and Park City became known as a ghost town.
This may seem sad, but was actually the very reason the Park city that most now know and love was able to come about. This ghost town soon transformed into a recreational facility. Ski resorts opened up where people from all over the world would come to ski. It has been considered to have some of the best ski resorts in the world.
Old mines were opened up for tours and Park city has become a great place for tourist to come and experiencing the entertainment, food, and beauty and history it has.
Ronald Pedactor is a resident of Utah and has written hundreds of articles relating to tourism and real estate. He recommends (http://www.parksedgeparkcity.com) for your next vacation home in Park City.
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